The present disclosure generally relates to wireless communication technology and, more particularly, to a switched beam smart antenna apparatus and related wireless communication circuit.
Antenna is an important component of a wireless communication device, but also occupies considerable area and volume of the circuit module due to the physical restriction. Nowadays, the wireless communication devices are designed to have more utilities and functions. Antennas of fixed radiation field are unable to satisfy the requirements of high end products, and thus the use of smart antenna is a trend for many wireless communication devices.
The gain of an antenna is a crucial factor for achieving better signal communication quality or further transmission range. When the antenna concentrates radiation energy toward a particular direction, signals can be transmitted further and signal quality can be improved. If the wireless communication device is allowed to flexibly adjust the transmission direction of radiation energy of the antenna during operations, the coverage of signal communication can be extended further.
However, the volume of the antenna would be greatly increased if the antenna is designed to have an adjustable radiation field. This is not complying with the market demands for thinner wireless communication devices.